


What Doesn't Kill You: Zoro x Reader

by orphan_account



Category: One Piece
Genre: F/M, Reader's Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-15
Updated: 2015-05-15
Packaged: 2018-03-30 15:04:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3941290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The reader is killed in a battle. Zoro finds a mysterious letter, and begins to move on. {SERIES/COMPLETE}</p><p>NOTE: The warnings are for pretty mild violence.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My favorite Zoro x Reader that I've written so far...*continues uploading spam*

Your tattered shirt lay in tags around your slim body, sprawled in the dirt. You ached from the wounds you had received, red blood matting the side of your face and your hair. The foe you fought so passionately stood menacingly above you, sword poised to drop towards your heart. It was the end for you, you knew; nothing could save you now. 

Suddenly, there was a furious cry and the sound of blades rending flesh. You turned your head with a grimace as an agonizing flash rocketed through your nerves.

Your green-haired savior sprinted to your side and knelt beside you. 

"Yo, (f/n)! Stay with me!"

You laughed weakly. Zoro, always strong, was worrying over you, a lost cause. 

"Zoro, shh. I'm not going to make it, so save your tears."

A coughing fit overtook you, and crimson splattered over the swordsman's dusty shirt. You nearly blacked out from loss of blood and the sheer devastation your body had faced, but you resisted the urge to slip into numbness and focused. 

"(F/n), don't you dare..."

Was he crying? You squinted, but things were getting hazy. You felt your head being lifted gently and placed on something softer and kinder than the frigid ground. 

"Zo...ro..." You struggled to stay coherent, but you were losing this battle. Your breaths grew shallower and more difficult. 

"I thought you said you would never leave us! Don't break your promise, (f/n)!"

No. This was wrong. Zoro sounded _hysterical._ How was that possible? Was it your dying self, creating delusions to fulfill your own selfish fantasies? You decided, albeit sluggishly, to try again. 

"Zoro...I...love...you." Was your voice unintelligible? Could he understand you? Your mouth felt dry and difficult to operate. 

Something cold and wet splashed onto your forehead. Your sight was basically null by now, but even now you could tell; those were tears. 

The realization hit you hard. _Zoro was crying._

"(F/n), no! I'll get you to Chopper! He...he'll definitely fix you up!" To be honest, it sounded like he was trying to convince himself. 

You found that you couldn't move your head, or any part of your body. You couldn't tell him anything more...

Zoro wrapped his hands around yours. They were so warm...

You were cold. So utterly cold...

You couldn't even feel Zoro now. 

Your senses dimmed further, until they were almost completely gone. 

Then you were plunged into an icy yet burning darkness. 

_Death was a cruel thing._


	2. Chapter 2

Zoro let his swords clatter to the ground as your life faded away before his eyes. His vision blurred, and he was suddenly aware of a burning pain in his lower back. 

Warm blood seeped from the penetrating point of a dagger. The hand that held the knife belonged to (f/n)'s former opponent, who Zoro had taken down minutes before. 

The green-haired swordsman turned around slowly, rage fueling his actions. A glare petrified the would-be assassin, giving Zoro time to yank out the dagger and throw it aside, then stand up. 

"What's your name?" demanded Zoro.

The man crouched before him whimpered and backed away on hand and knees. 

"It's Crowley, so don't hurt me! I'm sorry!"

Zoro's stare grew even more menacing. 

"Crowley, you chose the wrong people to mess with today. Of I wasn't such a nice person, I would chop you up into tiny pieces and leave." He took a step forwards.

"But you will still suffer for this. One Sword Style: Lion Strike!"

A rush forwards, a slice with his trademark white katana; both of Crowley's hands dropped to the dusty ground, severed from his wrists. The assassin blinked, then screamed.

"May you never wield a sword again."

Zoro aimed a kick at Crowley before stooping to pick up your fallen body gingerly and running off. If he didn't leave quickly, he would be sorely tempted to hurt that disgusting man even more. 

For once, he didn't get lost on his way back to the crew and the Sunny.

As soon as everyone saw your crumpled, motionless form is his arms, they all knew. You had left them, left them forever. 

Chopper tottered forwards, years already streaming from his usually-innocent eyes. Changing to his most humanlike point, the doctor held out his furry hands. 

"Zoro...please."

The swordsman couldn't move as your body was lifted from him. The shock of losing you was slowly seeping into his mind. Slightly traumatized, Zoro strode towards the ship and muttered a quick, curt "I'll be in her room" as he passed his crewmates. Nami gave a choked sob, and Luffy just stood there, his straw hat covering his face. Sanji had dropped to his knees in despair, Franky was howling, Usopp was crying silently, and Brook had turned away. Robin stared off into space. Who knew what she was thinking? 

Zoro's footsteps echoed hollowly as he walked across the ship to the room where you had slept so recently. He didn't want to feel, to take in the pain he knew he would have to eventually. Just not now. 

The swordsman reached your door, placing a shaky hand on the silver handle. Your room, where the two of you had created so many memories together...

He twisted the doorknob lightly and pulled. The door swung open without a sound, and he stepped into the familiar place. 

Everything was as it had always been. He didn't know why he had expected something different, but the answer was there. It was that on some inner level, he still didn't believe you were dead. 

As if in a daze, Zoro wandered over to the bookshelf on the side of the room and languidly scanned the volumes there. A memory flashed into his mind; you, holding up a book and shoving it at him and telling him to read it. Him scoffing and refusing, saying books were useless and he could spend his time training. Now, he would read a thousand books to have you back. 

Absentmindedly, Zoro reached a hand up to touch his back, where he'd been stabbed. He winced but paid no heed. His fingers came off stained with blood.

Another image of you. The day you slipped on a patch of ice and fell flat on your face; you had needed exactly thirteen stitches in your forehead. Though now, no amount of bandages could heal you. 

A glinting light from the top of the bookshelf caught his eye, and he reached up to grab whatever it was out of pure curiosity. Zoro brought his hand down to see that the item was a locked metal box. On it was taped a note: _To Zoro, if I'm dead. The key is you-know-where._

The green-haired swordsman blinked, then gave a faint smile. This was so you. 

Zoro trekked up to the crow's nest, his back hurting whenever he bent over, but it was worth it. Carefully, he counted three seats from the left* and lifted the cushion up to reveal a secret compartment. At the bottom was a golden key. Zoro picked it up and rushed back to your room. 

The key found the lock, and he heard a soft clicking noise. The cap sprung open. 

He was almost afraid to see the contents of the mysterious box. However, when he opened his eyes, the only things were a neatly-folded letter and another smaller box. 

Cautiously, Zoro unfolded the letter. It was entirely written in your neat, recognizable handwriting; it made him smile, even if just a little bit. 

Zoro's eyes flickered to the heading inscribed on the paper. The words "To Zoro" confirmed that he should read it, so he proceeded to the next line. 

_Hi, Zoro. I have a lot to tell you..._


	3. The Letter and What Followed

Zoro slid down the wall and rested against it, the letter in his hands. Silently, he took in every sentence, every word, every syllable.

_Hi, Zoro. I have a lot to tell you._

_First of all, I'm sorry I died. No, not the selfish kind of sorry; you know me better than that, right? I'm sorry because I had more things to tell you, more things to give you in person. I'm sorry because the words in this letter aren't easy for me to write, much less tell you when I was alive. I'm sorry I couldn't live any longer to spend time with you and the rest of the crew._

_When you guys rescued me from that place, I couldn't have been happier. Here, I found what I've never had before; love and a family._

Zoro bowed his head lower, and a tiny tear rolled down his cheek. It was hurriedly wiped away before he continued.

_I knew I would die young. You don't know why yet, but Robin does. Hey, don't get worked up over that. I did what I did because Robin is the best secret-keeper I've ever met. No offense, but no one else could keep this in._

_Now that I'm dead and gone (not to rub it in, of course), I'm going to tell you; I'm not._

Zoro inhaled sharply. What the...?

_Yep, I knew you'd react to that._

_To tell the truth, I'm not even a human being of natural creation. I'm a copy, a fake, an imitation. Zoro, I'm a clone. That's why I was so surprised when you told me you loved me. It made my heart flutter even though I am what I am._

_My personality isn't even my own, you know? Maybe a few little quirks picked up through experiencing life, but everything else is the girl I was cloned from. I'm exactly like her._

_I bet if you found her, you'd fall for her as hard as you fell for me. Imagine that; getting a high-quality replacement for the price of absolutely nothing. Zoro, I don't mind if you try and find her. In fact, I don't care **what** you do as long as you're happy. I love you, silly swordsman, and that will never change. Not even now that death has done us part._

_Her name isn't the same as mine, so you can't find her that way. That's because I was the first clone, and if you hadn't noticed while "I" was alive, I was defective. I could defy the personality that was built into my mind, since it wasn't reinforced by any mental impulses. My creator, Vegapunk, noticed that, so he shortened my lifespan significantly. I would have perished long before you or any of the crew, sometime around age sixteen._

_Anyways, about her. I could tell you all the little details about her; her attitude, her manner, her view on the world...but that's no fun and it's a waste of space. I'll give you a name and a location, and then you can decide what you want to do about her._

_Her name is Celine Isabella Beaulieu. She's a Celestial Dragon who lives in Mariejois. Happy hunting, my dear._


	4. Chapter 4

_Celine._

Zoro repeated the name in a hoarse whisper, his eyes drifting to the ceiling of the small room.

What should he do?

Carefully, the swordsman stood up, wincing when his back wound rubbed against the wall. A small smear of crimson now decorated the otherwise-pristine paint job, a result of Zoro's slouching earlier. He narrowed his eyes at the blot.

"Dammit."

He poked a finger at it, dropping the letter in the process. His efforts only managed to smudge the bloody mark more.

"Dammit!"

A huge surge of anger welled up inside him, and he slammed a fist into the wall. There was a smashing noise; several new cracks branched out from where his hand had rammed into, and the nearby shelf wobbled dangerously.

"(F/n), you idiot! Now what do I do?!"

Zoro clenched his jaw tightly, spun around, and bowed his head tensely against the wood. He needed to dwell on this new information.

 _She said she wants you to be happy,_ a little voice in his head whispered.

"I don't know what happy is right now," the swordsman muttered back. Yes, he was having a conversation with himself; was he finally cracking under the pressure of battles, threats, and death?

_What made you happy before?_

"..."

_Think. I know you can find it. It's not exactly hidden deep in your soul or something, you know._

"...it was (f/n). (F/n), the rest of the crew, and all the stupid weirdos that Luffy makes friends with."

_There you go, Zoro. Now what do you have? (F/n)'s dead, but your nakama are still here. Your captain is still here. The Thousand Sunny is still here. Do something to resolve your problems. What can you do now?_

"You mean burying (f/n), don't you?"

_Maybe._

"...how can I part from the one I loved the most? You wouldn't know anything," remarked Zoro bitterly.

_I'm not going to answer that. I can tell you one thing though..._

"Say it."

_You're not going to be leaving, and neither is (f/n). The word is closure, Zoro. Find it._

The swordsman sighed.

"Be a little less cryptic, will you?"

There was nothing. The mysterious voice was gone.

"...so I have to find closure? Easier said than done. It's not like..."

Inspiration struck, and Zoro peeled himself off the wall, immediately rushing to (f/n)'s desk. He snatched up a sheet of paper and a pen, and began writing furiously.

Minutes later, he was finished. The swordsman plucked an envelope from the polished wood and stuffed the paper inside, sealing the envelope after. Holding his precious letter, Zoro swept outside to the deck where his crewmates were waiting silently.

"...I'm ready now. We can bury her."

His voice was steady, with no hint of fear or sadness. His mind was buzzing, but he had no second thoughts.

"I've sown the canvas together. Everything's ready," Nami breathed quietly.

Zoro walked slowly to where your body lay, encased in a layer of sail material. The crew gathered around behind him, and he pulled out the envelope, laying it on the canvas.

"I hope you're happy, (f/n)."

Closing his eyes, he picked you up and held you over the edge.

"I'll see you in the next life, when I've become the strongest swordsman in the world."

His hands fell away, and you dropped into the water without a sound.

"Goodbye..."

Zoro's letter plunged in after you, soaked by the sea.

Everything was done.

Your death didn't kill him after all...


	5. Bonus: Zoro's Letter

Hey, (f/n). I wonder where you're at? Your heart, I mean. Not your body. Is it somewhere up there, like some people would say...?

Anyways, this is to tell you that I'm fine. I'm not going to go after Celine, because you're really the only you out there. Even if you're a clone, you're not the exact same. If I chase that Celestial Dragon down, I'll be betraying you and your legacy. I don't want to do that.

I've found my closure, and that's venting everything I couldn't say in this letter. It's kinda copying your idea in the first place, but it works, doesn't it? I'll throw this envelope into the ocean with you, so you can read it somehow.

(F/n), I'll miss you beside me, and I'll regret not being able to save you still. However, I'm going to try to accept that you're dead, and you're not coming back. Ever.

I'm not going to be deadweight to Luffy or the crew. I'm going to keep working towards my dream, and I will become the strongest swordsman in the world. Not just for me, not just for Kuina, and not just for my captain or crewmates. I'll do it for you, too.

I'll help fulfill your dream along with mine. I'll make sure Luffy becomes Pirate King.

You don't have to worry about me.

I'm ready to move on.

I'm ready to keep living.

Bye, (f/n).

_Love,_

_Zoro._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aah. Yes. Did you like it?


End file.
